Too Hot to Handle by Tessa Bailey

Author:Tessa Bailey
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2016-05-16T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

So. Wedding planning, huh? That must be…rewarding.”

Rita took a long sip of her scalding coffee, not minding the burn one bit. Maybe it would debilitate her tongue enough to prevent any more lame attempts at conversation with Sage. The apple of Belmont’s eye didn’t seem to mind, however, as they walked along the dusty road, back toward the Hurley Arms.

Turned out, Rita and Sage were both early risers. They’d walked out of their motel rooms at the same time, going through caffeine withdrawals and no longer satisfied by the motel-provided Sanka. Belmont—as if he had some kind of Sage bat signal—had appeared out of nowhere to follow behind them in silence, eyes glued on Sage as they ventured half a mile down the road in search of a buzz. Neither Rita nor Sage had commented on his presence, saying it all by trading a half smile of understanding. Or nonunderstanding, as it were, because to know Belmont was to accept that you might never understand him. And that appeared to be fine with both of them.

“Rewarding is a perfect way to describe it,” Sage murmured after a time, smiling over at Rita, the rising sun forming a halo on the crown of her head. Some of Rita’s nerves over having to walk a half a mile while making small talk faded into the desert grit on either side of them, as if Sage had decreed Rita’s relaxation. Make it so! “When the couple climbs into their limousine or carriage and everyone is cheering…” Sage closed her eyes and blew onto the surface of her brew. “It makes you believe in fairy tales, you know?”

“Uh…sure,” Rita answered, eliciting a clear, clean laugh from Sage.

Rita didn’t know what compelled her to look over her shoulder at Belmont, but when she did, he paused in his step—one second, two—before resuming.

“Have you had any strange theme requests? Like—I don’t know—a RoboCop or Laser Cats wedding?”

“Not yet,” Sage said, after swallowing a sip. “But I’ve organized seventeen Star Wars weddings, three Cinderella themes, and one Brady Bunch.” She looked over. “The couple had been through separate divorces before meeting each other, three children each. That was a fun one. Their maid of honor dressed as Alice.”

“No way.” Rita shoved her available hand into her pocket, a grin stretching her mouth. “Did they throw footballs at the bride instead of rice?”

“Ohh, my nose,” Sage said with a snort, doing her best Marcia Brady impression before turning a touch self-conscious, shooting a quick glance back at Belmont. “I wish I’d thought of that.”

“Ah, there’ll be a next time,” Rita sighed.

A few beats passed. “There won’t be a next time.”

“No, probably not.”

Up ahead, the motel came into view and Rita squinted, wondering why someone appeared to be pacing in front of her door. As they drew closer, however, the flannel tipped her off to the pacer’s identity. Jasper? They’d left to forage for coffee before the clock struck eight. It couldn’t be more than a quarter to nine now.

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